


What took us that long?

by oddball



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Accidents, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Regret, Sad, near-death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-03 14:12:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1071398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oddball/pseuds/oddball
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say as we near death, our lives flash by us. What if in that we only see regret and pain?  What if we really need to come back to tell things we've never told? What took us that long to realise who is important to us?<br/>The generation of miracles face such a scenario and this cathartic moment, leads them to look over their mistakes during their Teiko days, to realize who they hurt, the one they cherish and that they ought to accept and express both- regret and gratitude.<br/>Hopefully, it won't be too late.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one is inspired by the book "what dreams may come" by Matheson.  
> It was moving, and then I read a couple of the Teiko-arc chapters again.  
> Thought I could try to club those two concepts.
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy :)

Kise lifted his hand slowly, blood dripping, memories  of the cataclysmic event too blurred to remember. His body too damaged to lift itself up, however his head still making sense of the scene around him.

"Aominecchi...Kurokoc.." he coughs as blood dribbles down his mouth. None of them are moving. Panic begins to rise in his already throbbing head as he calls out to the other three in a limp voice. He tries to move but the wound of his leg, mixing in the raw mud of the morning is killing him. He yells in pain as he cries and clicks the call button

"Senpai...help" is all he says to the voicemail before his hand drops the phone to the ground. He screams in pain, looking around, holding on to what little life he had in him.

What started off as a celebration of Kuroko's basketball's victory, was turning out to be a nightmare.

\---

Kasamatsu  was just pondering over papers in the library, studying for his exams. As he poured through the sheets, he heard his cellphone beep a little and stop. The librarian signaled a 'shush' as he nodded and mindlessly dumped it in his bag. He merely peered at the screen to notice "Kise- missed call". He made a 'humph' and continued. He knew Kise would've called for the Kaijou-reunion dinner-plan, Moriyama made,  asking Kasamatsu to come for certain, so that he could wail all over Kasamatsu's shirt about "senpai having retired". He remembered Kise saying that he and his generation buddies were going out on a short training trip, for old times' sake. It had been a year since the winter cup and they had finally begun to reconcile. Kasamatsu remembered Kise's cheerful face saying "When I'm back, senpai, we have our dinner-meet! Kaijou misses you!" He laughed at the sound of that voice.

He left after a while and decided to check his phone again, to see how many messages Kise had sent by now. None. He looked lost and noted it was unlike Kise to call just once. He clicked the voice mail button and pressed the phone to his ears. His face turned pale, his eyes widened in fear as he heard Kise's fading voice. The phone fell from his hand as he imagined the worse, cursing himself for not checking then. He quickly rushed to the one place he knew he needed to go.

"Aida Riko here" the intercom outside her house said.

"Coach, I need to talk to you" Kasamatsu said, in no detail, reeling from shock.

Riko's hand shook as she heard Kasamatsu. Her trembling hand was quivering in pain. She pulled up a car and they decided to ride to find the scene of the accident. Riko suddenly stopped in front of another house. She dialed furiously and said "Kagami, Kuroko is in trouble"


	2. My life passed me by...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aomine see's regret in his eyes. He can't stand it. He needs to make amends. He needs to get up.

Aomine's head was bleeding, his eyes were fluttering. The pain was excruciating. He notices the car squashed by another vehicle. He remembers everyone jumping out, due to Akashi's foreshadowing but he remembered, it was not in perfect time to escape unscathed. Aomine's first thought is to look for Kuroko, followed by Kise. He had always had a soft spot for the former, incredible one, while to the latter, some sense of wanting to protect him. He can faintly see Kise's bloodied fingers, cruising the mud in pain, as he tries to pull himself towards Kise. But he's far too weak. He falls down. Aomine shuts his eye for a brief second and the words in his brain ringing as loud as the death-bells of a gothic church, with the same amount of doom ridden in them. The words he felt were "this is it"

A sudden flash of light espouses his body as he see's in maniacal precision, scenes from his memory. He see's him and Momoi, playing happily as children, with street ballers. He see's himself smiling and see's what he failed to notice then. His mother calling out to him from her window, Aomine yelling "a minute more" dashing across the court and throwing the ball. His mother smiles and leaves.

Aomine's hands tremble as he see's this. A half formed smile crawls into his mouth. He soon see's a feeble boy aimlessly running about in deserted gym, practicing into the late evening. "Tetsu.." he manages to breath. He see's Kuroko's hardships from third to first string at Teiko much more clearly than he could. His eyes moisten up as the manager's face flashes foward

"If you demote him, demote me too!" Aomine hears his own voice.  His vision shifts to Kuroko stuffing a popsicle down his sweatshirt. Then to a fading memory of the miracles heading to eat ice-cream, him casually hitting Kise's head and Momoi gleaming in happiness behind. Pain of both, physical hurt and these old memories throb in his head. What is a few seconds, seems like a painful lifetime.

"I'm not going to lose" Inoue-kun said. He was Aomine's middle school rival-of-sorts.

Aomine coughed and clenched in fist in anger as he saw someone he looked forward to beating, give up.

 A headache grew as he watched himself further, grunting at weaker opponents, forcing them to give it their best and disregarding them nonetheless. Then he hears his own words and see's the rain trickle down Kuroko's face. His body begins to scream in anguish "I forgotten how to receive your passes"

He see's kuroko's broken heart, shattered up close for the first time. He see's the opponents feeling humiliated at their toying games. He hears their voices louder than before "they're just seeing who scores more amongst themselves! they're not even looking at us!" two figures said crying. Aomine gasps never having seen this side before. He then see's an old coach being asked to retire because "Teiko made a mince out of us, sir. Your tactics maybe too old"

Aomine wants to yell "its just a game" but then he sees a figure he has known more close in recent times, Hyuuga Junpei. He sees their middle school team crushed by Teiko and Hyuuga swearing on his tears that he will never lift a ball again. He sees another teammate say it isn't their fault they arent geniuses like Teiko and that with this they've been deprived of what they love the most-basketball.

Aomine shakes his head furiously, screaming for this to stop. "No! No! If I have to go let me go in peace, please!"

He see's half formed images of Kuroko's tears after Ogiwara's team is mocked. He see's a high school Kuroko in shambles after the inter-high match. He watches Kise barely able to stand, fallen and a hand other than his own lift him.

Aomine shifts in pain forcing himself to get up "No! I need to live. I need to do something..I.." Trails of the last bit of memories are triggered as he sees Kagami dunking the ball with force. He sees himself in the face of a worthy rival. He sees Kuroko learning to shoot, he sees Haizaki being punched by him, he sees hope.

"Please no, this cant end" a feeble voice says. Aomine's eyes begin to shut as he see's an apparition

"Come now, you'll feel lighter. Let go of that pain" the  ethereal body says

"No! I'm not ready yet! I need to go back! I need to feel sorry! I feel it, just let me go!" Aomine screams.

The body closes in on Aomine, struggling with his fate as it blows a chilling wisp-like air into his face. Aomine freezes as he hears "It may be too late"


	3. I'll accept whatever that comes my way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise, Murasakibara and Midorima are facing monsters of their own. Help however, is on its way.

Midorima's spectacles break into shards, some break into his chiseled face. His hands are less mangled. He slowly tries to hoist himself up and lean on a support behind. His breath is rapidly deteriorating and his eyes are hazy.

"I must help them..." Midorima tries to say but his lower rib cries in agony. He lays like a limp body, in shock as well as damage, as he feels a hand clasp his wrist.

"Mido-chin" Murasakibara says painfully, crawling on the ground.

Midorima looks shocked at the giant. His legs bleeding, one of  his hands simmering in clotted blood, but still speaking.

"I can see myself yelling at Aka-chin in the practice. I see myself hating Kuro-chin for being weak. I can see myself lying about hating basketball, Himuro-chin is crying, Mido-chin make it go!" He yells, his hold on Midorima tightening. And Midorima looking more shocked.

"Kuro-chin's friend. He quit because I insulted him with that own score. Kiyoshi, I called his passion trash and now it may be his last few games. Mido-chin, why is this happening to me?!" Murasakibara cried, unable to take both the shredding of his heart and his sinews. The more he cried the more his arm hurt. "Mido-chin, say something"

"they say if your life is ending, you see your entire life flash by. In all perspectives. In new light" Midorima said tearing up.

"I...don't want to die like this...Mido-chin, save Aka-chin, he became that way because of me..." the genial giant said as he collapsed.

Midorima frantically looked at Murasakibara, then at Aomine falling. He shook Murasakibara but he wouldn't move. Midorima yelled at himself, begging his numb legs to walk. But they wouldn't listen. He then realised he should atleast call out to the others. He held his leg-wound in one hand and dragged himself by hand and yelled "Kuroko! Akashi! Kise!" No replies. His voice grew more frantic as he yelled again.

He pushed himself a little more and noticed Kise laying behind him, in somewhat proximity. He saw Kise breathing heavily. He shook him furiously as he noticed a half crack smile open on Kise's mouth.

"ri-macchi..." he managed to say.

 Midorima's eyes filled with dismay. For him, seeing Kise, the liveliest of the bunch so helpless was a reality check.

"Akacchi isn't moving at all...he's ahead of me. Go" Kise croaked. Coughing violently.

Kise lay staring at the sky as he felt a ghost like image of light pass near him.

"who are you?" Kise seemed to say

The figure seemed to stay still, as he rubbed his eyes, feeling they were failing him.

"Kurokocchi, is crying? This is Teiko? I called him a worthless bean sprout? Akacchi made me understand..." Kise said drawing one difficult breath at a time. Flashes of the past, clouding his eyes quickly.

"I was a brat. So self centered. Kasamatsu senpai. I was so mean to him in the start. But then he  disciplined me. Kurokocchi taught me the value of a team. A family. Aominecchi, you cared. You taught me. I ....dont deserve this. In exchange for giving pain, I got a second chance" Kise said sobbing and his voice fading. The apparition appeared again, giving what seemed like a hand to Kise. Kise nearly handed his own hand when he felt a voice say "no..."

Kise stopped. The voice sounded familiar. He couldn't say who it was, but slowly, he rest his head and said "I accept whatever it is in store for me..."

\---

Midorima pushed and crawled to the two furthest from him, Kuroko and Akashi. Kuroko's eyes were shut and he seemed to make very little movement, Midorima pressed his hand against his chest, desperately looking for a thud-albeit a fragile one. He seemed to catch Kuroko's heart beat. He quickly moved to Akashi, who seemed to be a terrible state. His body bleeding in various locations, his eye barely open, but he turned and said

"Shintarou, if I die, tell Tetsuya I am really sorry for everything. The promise I made about his friend, the things I said to him about his way of basketball, sorry to you all, for turning you all into cold beings. For losing the Akashi I was to becoming a victory-thirsty monster, somewhat robotic"

His speech wasn't slurred. It was like he was saving his energy to tell this.

"Akashi, you will live!" Midorima cried.

"You want to study medicine. You ought to know how less the chances of that are. Besides, I knew in my life I'd only see regret, if I were to relive it. Although I couldn't hold a promise, promise me you'll tell Tetsuya" Akashi said, wheezing finally and dropping his hand.

\---

Midorima shivered hearing the words of his former teammates. He twitched wondering if at all he were to call for help, who he would call.

"Takao" he silently thought.

"I can't imagine the guy who I wanted to beat the most is my team-mate now" He remembered Takao's words. Midorima remembered in full awareness the closeness he experienced with his team, specially Takao now. He felt grateful for the small mercies. He pried his smashed cell-phone out, which seemed to be somewhat working. He dialed Takao and when he picked up said nothing.

"Shin-chan! what's up" Takao said cheerfully.

no response.

"Shin-chan, whats the matter. Not so lucky day, wasn't it? You took your lucky crap didnt ya? Of course you did, then...say shin-chan, why so silent?" Takao said.

"I'm sorry Takao" Midorima said softly as he fell against the support he was leaning on for about ten minutes now. He felt a relief as he said that.

"Shin-chan, sorry? Hello, Shin-chan" Takao said confused. He did not feel good about what just happened. He decided to call Kagami to ask about the trip and if everything was fine.

Takao called up Kagami who dreadfully blurted everything Kasamatsu and Riko told him. Takao's face paled and his eye's wept. "No Shin-chan, no, you don't get to say sorry like that" He wailed.

He quickly called up the cops asking them to trace his last call and send an ambulance to the location immediately.

"Dont you fucking give up on a fight, Shin-cha" he said sobbing, picking up his coat. He walked out to join the ambulance and end this misery right now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midorima is shaken by the distress around him so when a hand of help reaches him, he is in disbelief.

Aida riko was soon caught up by an ambulance, blazing on the road. She soon got a text from Takao saying he was in it. Kasamatsu thanked his stars that someone had the presence of mind to call for medical help. At that moment, nothing but Kise's insipid "help" was ringing in his years. He never admitted it but 'Kaijou's Kise' was his pet. He loved the boy. He couldn't imagine or stand to see him hurt. The ambulance took over and signaled a follow to Riko's car. Kagami was hopping crazy. Kuroko had grown unbearably close to him lately. And the fact that both Kasamatsu and Takao managed to get calls implied that atleast Kise and Midorima were in states to dial. But was Kuroko that hurt that he couldn't manage to even press 1 on his speed-dial?

They soon reached a fork in the road, where they saw a larger vehicle on its side and another car, smashed into. The medics pour down carefully lifting the six people they see. Kagami, Takao, Riko and Kasamatsu rush down to see the scene. Riko begins to cry loudly, almost fainting, as Kagami holds her. He puts in her back in and runs towards a teal blue haired boy he can see. He sees the medics placing Kuroko on a stretcher.

"Doc, how is he?" he asked solemnly.

"He's alive" they say briefly placing him inside. For now that's all Kagami wanted to hear.

Kasamatsu sees Kise laying on the ground. He heart sinks because his eyes were shut. He grabs Kise's hand as they put him in the ambulance and says "Hang in there, kid. I'm here"

Takao see's Midorima seemingly cataleptic but more upright than the others. Hope fills his heart as he pulls near the shooters body and feels strained but certain breaths.

"Shin-chan" he says softly, holding Midorima dearly.

Midorima's eyes flutter hearing the sound

"You...came?" he said to the short boy

"Are you fucking kidding me? dont talk now Shin-chan, I'm just glad you're.." Takao said wielding large tears. The doctors take his assistance to put Midorima into the stretcher. Takao notices Aomine , Murasakibara and Akashi being put in too. He quietly asked if anyone was in the cross-hairs of danger.

"We can't say much now" they clinically said. "just call up their remaining families"

"they stay away" Takao said now riding with them. "They moved away from their parents recently. So immediately, we're there" 

"And you guys are?"  medics asked sternly

"we're...also family. Distant cousins sorts" Takao said lying, fearing they'd ask him to leave otherwise.

"Okay. then call the ones whose family isnt here" the doctor said, in clinical tone.

Takao immediately rang up Momoi, whose fragility was what was scaring Kagami. Kagami asked Himuro to show up and needless to say the whole team Seirin would be there, whether they were called for or not.


	5. A new day, maybe?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aomine gets up in lurch and urgency to make amends. Murasakibara feels an unusual pinch in his gut. Fate, however, doesn't always let you command.

"No!" Aomine screamed as he lurched out of sleeping posture. He looked around and felt nervous but was calmed by a known hand. Momoi held his arm carefully, crying tears of joy and fear, endlessly.

"Dai-chan, its okay. Its over now. You're in the  hospital, safe" she said, tearfully.

"Satsuki...I...lived" Aomine said in state of shock.

She merely nodded with her palm covering her mouth, her body jerking in tears. She hugged him dearly and burst into tears afresh. He held her with his un-bandaged  arm, softly, as he silently said "I'm sorry Satsuki. I think I've never said how much it mattered to always have you around. You're my family"

"Dai-chan..." she said looking at him now.

"Satsuki, it happened. My life passed by me. I thought this is it. But then I fought. I fought to come back. I have too many regrets. Too many people I've hurt. Most of all, I need to say I'm grateful ...for Tetsu"

Momoi's eyes were shaking in some twisted pain. Aomine's words made her feel a tinge of happiness. But something else bothered her.

"Satsuki I need to meet him. Where is he?" Aomine asked.

Momoi replied in silent tears.

"Satsuki...please..tell me..that" Aomine said.

"He's still not woken up" Momoi said crying.

Aomine's hands collided into his throbbing temples. His eyes moist in fear and regret.

"No. Tetsu has to wake up. He can't leave us after changing us. No!" he mumbled to himself. Momoi rushed out, unable to handle the pain. She ran to waiting area where an unexpected shoulder, held her. Kiyoshi quietly and carefully held her as she sobbed in disarray, not knowing whether to be happy that Daiki was fine or panic that kuroko hadn't woken yet.

\---

Murasakibara slowly opened his eye as he saw a tearful Himuro, quickly brushing his tears aside. He looked zonked.

"Muro-chin..." he quietly said.

"Yes" he said peacefully.

"Is everyone else okay?" Atsushi asked thoughtfully.

"I haven't heard from everyone but, Midorima-kun, Aomine-kun are fine" he said softly.

"hmmm.. Aka-chin and Kuro-chin? I need to say something to them. And of course Kise-chin" he said in memory of his cathartic journey.

"I ...wouldn't know. I've only been here, in this room" Tatsuya said feeling a pang of guilt.   

"hmmm. I'm happy you came Muro-chin. I thought my disinterest in life in general, used to annoy you" Atsushi said with static tears.

"I would've come even if you hated me, let alone basketball, which I know you dont" he said keeping a firm but soft hand on Murasakibara's wrist.

Murasakibara sat silently, watching, wondering and waiting.


	6. I'm not ready yet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise was never the one to hide his emotions, but sometimes someone who smiles the most, has a lot more to hide than the others.

Midorima was sitting upright and Takao was next to him.

"Jeez, Shin-chan, you scared the fuck out of us, and me of course" Takao said in a twinge of laughter.

Midorima being one of the first to be declared safe and fine, Takao had taken it to bring the laughter back into his partner's life.

"You should've taken a bigger raccoon Shin-chan. And ya, next time no driving, I'll cart you around" Takao said laughing.

Midorima painfully pressed his non-spectacled face's nose-bridge, out of habit and said "fool" in his usual self.

Takao laughed loudly before breaking into a nervous tear.

"You had me with that one Shin-chan...Don't ever do that again. Saying sorry and shit" Takao said now somberly tearing up.

"I meant it Takao. For numerous things. As I watched others almost die in regret, I felt I needed to do this" Midorima said quietly.

"You have no regret. You'll were kids. Pushed up by glory of unmanageable kind" Takao said, feeling the compulsion to defend. Despite being someone on the receiving end of their 'play', now he felt like he knew a different Midorima.

"We crushed so many people's dreams and passions, Takao" Midorima said sharing his former-mates' plights.

"Like I said you guys have been taught better now. You'll aren't monsters. Shin-chan, I used to.."

"hate me I know. Which is why I said sorry" Midorima said gloomily

"Shin-chan, I can't hate you anymore, ever. And now that I think, hating you pushed me more. Just please, don't kill yourself over a childish mistake" Takao said, trying to caress Midorima's wounds with words.

Midorima nodded, head down, but smiled as Takao placed his hand on Midorima's.

\----

Kasamatsu was pacing the lobby, as was Kagami. Kise and Kuroko were still in surgery.

_Inside -_ Kise's mind was still struggling with his self.

"Just take me away" a part of him said. Kise was always more deeply affected by things than others. His perceptiveness in order to perfectly copy made him extra aware of his surroundings. In that premise, he become inconsolable to his glaring mistakes.

"Kise, stop this. You made mistakes but not so grave that you can't live. You even understood later" said another voice.

Kise saw in his dream-like state a hand, much like Kasamatsu's after the inter-high match.

"You can stand? Hang in there, beat him next time" Said the Kasamatsu-akin figure.

"But senpai, the him i'm playing against is ...." Kise's inner voice cracked.

"Not you anymore. You're not that brat you were. You care now. You're our ace. Come on Kaijou's Kise, get up"  the voice said trailing.

Kasamatsu (Kise's uncle it was said) was told that he had woken. He quickly sent a message to Kise's sisters, who were on their way. He prayed a little and darted into the room.

Kise was glum, sleeping on the bed, his torso bandaged and his hand resting on supports. By sitting ahead, Kise and Kuroko had accrued more damage than the others. 

"Wont even say hi to your senior? Is this what I've taught you?" Kasamatsu said tears sealing his vision.

Kise saw him come near and collapsed into his arms. Both cried, both in relief, both in regret.

"Senpai, I was so.. I was an ingrate" He said still in Kasamatsu's grasp

"Kise, you were a kid. Please nothing of that sort now" Kasamatsu said cradling him.

"Senpai I didn't want to come back. I saw tears, I saw hurt, with my name written on it. If someone had crushed the basketball love in me like we did, I would've killed myself" Kise trembled.

"Kise, tell me...Did you not-fight to come back?" Kasamatsu asked, with Kise looking astonished.

"how did you..." Kise's words were cut by Kasamatsu lightly hitting his head. Kasamatsu burst into blotches of tears.

"Dont you ever give up on fighting Kise! You made mistakes! so? You're repenting now. You're no longer a callous star. You're the stupid happy kid I miss kicking around. I'm sorry I never said this to you but you're like my kid-brother. Don't ever do this again, you get me" Kasamatsu said yelling and pouring those feelings he once displayed alone in a locker-room.

Kise hugged his senpai again and cried withering into his hold.

"Mind if I say something?  A dark figure said. Kasamatsu wiped his tears as he let Aomine in. Kasamatsu left the room briefly, but stood at the door. Aomine had begged the nurse to let him walk a little. She let him on the account of gaining moment in the muscle. Luckily, Aomine's legs weren't hurt much at all.

"Kise...I didn't offer you that hand cause you're not weak. I should've gone all out but I couldn't. Not because I undermined you, because I cared for you too much" Aomine said softly.

"I wished I could admire you less. But I learnt that I can admire you and still beat you. Thank you Aominecchi, for everything you've done for me" Kise said smiling. "Don't you think we need to talk to Kurokocchi? He deserves all our apologies" he continued.

Aomine put his hand on Kise's hand. He began to tear up, covering his face. Kise's golden eyes shot up red in fear, his body began to freeze. "Aominecchi...what, dont.."

"He's not up yet. He's the only one. Akashi is up too. Kise, Tetsu..." Aomine said before being cut.

"He's not going to die for god's sake!" Kise yelled, coughing immediately, alarming Kasamatsu and his nurse.

The nurse asked Aomine to leave istantly, as news like that could hurt Kise. Kise tried to get up and walk to Kuroko. The nurse declined. He fought as Kasamatsu ordered him to sit as he watched Aomine leave.

"Senpai I have so much to say" Kise blurted, being hushed by Kasamatsu

"You tell him all and much more once you and he are fine. Neither of you is going anywhere" Kasamatsu said comforting both himself and Kise.

\---


	7. What's the use of regret?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akashi wakes up to find himself wondering if a 'sorry' solves anything

Ever since Akashi was up, he had asked for Midorima. Midorima finally was brought after special requests were made. Akashi had always found a relative ease in talking to Midorima about things. Midorima was slowly wheeled in. 

The Seirin team waited outside Kuroko's room as a dark haired man, tall, lean, handsome in the traditional sense, walked in asking for Akashi. Kagami stepped in front of him and asked him how he knew Akashi

"I was in the city and rushed as I heard. I'm Nijimura, Teiko's ex captain" the man said.

Kiyoshi then recognized him and told him about the conditions of the miracles.

"They're all also reliving some traumatic memories. Their ways in middle school" Kiyoshi added.

"Hmmm. Well it's true, their way of beating opponents sometimes, after my retirement became inhuman. They would mock and belittle their opponents, because they were far too strong. Eventually, it would hurt them, if they saw the number of dreams they've crushed with their young hands" Nijimura said, sadly. After all these were his kids.

"And you are here to meet Akashi, why?" Kagami asked, grunting almost, remembering the tales of the miracles' callousness that Kuroko had said

"well, Akashi was not always cruel as he seems now. I've seen the Akashi before this. He was respectful and kind too. And now is when he needs to be reminded that his faults were not his own" Nijimura said steadfastly.

Kiyoshi patted him as the doctor called out to Nijimura, saying he could now meet with Akashi.

"senpai" Akashi said. His heterochromatic eyes still seeming cold.

Nijimura nodded and the room was filled silence of a stiffling kind. Akashi waited for Nijimura to speak, but he was far too polite to assault someone who was hurt, even with words of comfort, for sometimes, dealing with comforting-truth isare also tougher than one can imagine. Akashi finally turns to say "senpai, we both know what it is that you are here to say. You may say it, but I don't know to what avail. My words don't see absolute any longer" 

Midorima's face gasped a little. But he wasn't all surprised. The finite-end scares even the best amongst us.

"Akashi, its not all your fault" He said beating to the chase. Midorima's eyes grew a little but he realised Akashi was not someone to protect. He would prefer having the band-aid ripped then left to deal with it.

"I was just telling Shintarou that there's no scope for my regret left" Akashi said rather steadily.

"Akashi, circumstances weren't conducive and whether your talents are a boon or a bane, you couldn't have foreseen to the extent of what you'll would become. And so close to a tragedy, everything seems black and grim. If you're the Akashi I knew, you'll grow out of it" Nijimura said softly.

Akashi's eyes were for once, confused. The regret he felt, the fleeting moments he saw, he had led his team-mates to those moments. And judging by what Midorima confirmed and said, his fears were true. Everyone experienced that sorrow. But he wasn't sure anymore. What closure would apologizing bring? Was it an enough repentance for purposely having done what they had, no, he had done?

"Ogiwara..."he thought "Will he and Tetsuya forgive me?"

"They will" Nijimura said silently.

Akashi nodded in a daze as Nijimura quietly stood aside. The three breathed not a word, as the air grew denser and thicker.

\---

The noon grew silently into a evening and the waiting room so no less people. Seirin had decided not to budge until they would be flung out. The other members of the miracles' high school teams were informed to wait until the next day to meet.

Everyone had begun to show steady improvements within hours. Fortunately or maybe unfortunately, the physical damage was easier to deal with than the mental stress.

Kise had been given medications to sleep, while the others were gathering movement in their bodies.

After what seemed like the longest evening, the doctor finally came out to talk to Kuroko's "cousin", Kagami.

"He's stable but not conscious yet. Two of you can go and meet him if you like. But don't make it too many inside the room. He's still not up." He firmly said.

Kagami told the team and immediately a bunch of people volunteered to be the second one. Until Kiyoshi finally stood up and said "Aomine, why don't you go"

The team looked stunned as Kiyoshi eyed them to calm their nerves. Kagami understood, over hearing Nijimura's speech, he understood everyone's annoyance as well, but his major concerns were to see Kuroko.

Aomine looked surprised as he thoughtlessly marched in with Kagami, still hurting a little himself, but granted permission to meet his friend.

"Kuroko, hang in there" Kagami said "and get the fuck up already!" he said almost yelling. Kagami dealt with his fear in a weird way.  "Look, from what these guys are saying, they fought back to say sorry to you. You, who changed their lives, made them love basketball again. They're all waiting for you to get up already! Just cause you don't have dumb regrets doesn't mean you can let go. Come on, get up! you still got to open your nursery school and teach your basketball to kids. A new generation of Miracles..." Kagami said brashly, hiding his tears.

"Tetsu, the fool is right. I ...have never said I was grateful to you. But I am. So is everyone else. We need to make amends before we move on. And we aren't moving on without you" Aomine said sternly.

There was no movement. Kagami's eyes were fixated on Kuroko and so were Aomine's. The doctor soon indicated that it was time for them to leave, visiting hours had ended. Kagami declined. He said he needed to be there. After a brief tiff with the doctor, the staff gave him another bed near Kuroko. Aomine grew a fight in him again but the doctors reminded him that he too needs rest. Momoi pulled Daiki back into the room. 

\--


	8. thank you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "thank you" Kasamatsu said quietly.

The night was starting to pull its sheets on the sky. Kagami's eyes were flickering in tiredness but he intended never to succumb to it, as suddenly, he heard a loud whirring sound coming from Kuroko's bed. He quickly called for the nurse, pressing the button hysterically, as a doctor ran in asking him what he called he heard. He described it and the doctor immediately started checking Kuroko and asked Kagami to leave. Kagami was pushed out as a swarm of nurses began to assist the doctor. Kagami looked baffled and worried, then suddenly he screamed carelessly "Get up already!"

He waited impatiently, pressed to the door, as finally after a duration Kagami had no awareness of, the doctor told him "He's awake. He had begun to breathe when you were there. He was having a little trouble breathing but we..." Kagami's head had begun to blur in happiness. Words were not reaching, all that was registered was that Kuroko was awake.

He nearly ran into the doctor, wanting to see Kuroko. The doctor told him he could go, but to ease in on the conversation as he didn't want Kuroko's heart to go off racing. Kagami barely heard him as he barged in yelling "finally! fucking stupid phantom freak!" he said, exhibiting his tears.

Kuroko squinted a little as he said "Kagami-kun, I think I could've heard you in heaven too"

"The hell you would!" Kagami said smiling sheepishly, wiping his tears. He informed Kuroko that the team was forced to leave and that his parents were flying down from abroad. Kuroko grunted a little in embarrassment, but smiled in happiness for all the warmth he received. The doctor came in to do some regular tests, only to be accompanied shortly by a nurse delivering a resounding message.

"Doctor, sir, we've received a notice from an influential family by the name Akashi to allow his son's requests to permit odd hour visits to his group of friends. They are being brought now" she said slightly scared but diligently.

Kagami laughed as the miracles poured in. Aomine, Midorima and Murasakibara walking and Akashi and Kise being wheeled in. "That Akashi" Kagami thought.

They stood in a gaze unaware to themselves, looking at Kuroko who finally smiled warmly.

"Tetsu...We're..." Aomine said, trying to relieve his chest of the pain

"I  know Aomine-kun. I forgave you'll long ago. I won't lie, your actions did hurt me, but I grew over my mistakes and then of course, it was my job too to bring you'll to understand" Kuroko said pleasantly. "Akashi-kun..." Kuroko said reaching out his hand. Akashi caught it and smiled like his former self. No words were needed.

"You dont get to give up on us Tetsu, we're family. Even that weirdo with his lucky shit" Aomine said.

Midorima scowled as everyone laughed. Kuroko looked at Midorima as a  silent "thank you, I'm greatful" trespassed with his eyes. Kuroko smiled in acceptance.  

"Kise-kun is awfully quiet" Kuroko said.  

Kise smiled but his eyes were still shaken. Aomine patted Kise on the back as he joked "Tetsu actually said he secretly likes your public display of affection on him, before you were brought in"

Kuroko's eyes widened and Kise laughed submitting a less fearful nod.

"Oi, we want in too! Kagami told us Kuroko woke up" yelled Hyuuga as Akashi shot a silent gesture to the doctor, indicating they were part of the deal too.

The Seirin team entered -Hyuuga, Kiyoshi, Izuki and Riko. The others were asked to visit Kuroko later. Kuroko smiled as his generations-mates begun to depart.

"Let his new family indulge him. He deserves it" Aomine said as everyone left.

Kise still looked less relieved than the others. Kasamatsu saw him and tapped his head as asked him why

"I'm just saddened senpai that it took something this huge to tell us how important things are. Who means what to us, I mean we could feel the difference after the matches, but we got to expressing it now...which makes me a little sad" Kise said thoughtfully.

Kasamatsu adoringly looked at the perceptive boy. He was no longer the boy he kicked around. He had grown. They all had. He glanced over at Kuroko's room and silently smiled.

"Thank you" Kasamatsu quietly said. 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for now. Thank you for reading. Hope you'll liked it :)


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